A drug suspect found with fentanyl and a bag of hypodermic needles told Florida police that he used the syringes “for fishing,” according to an arrest report.

Police responding Saturday afternoon to a 911 call about a suspicious person encountered Eric Bennett, 30, on a Vero Beach street. An officer described Bennett (seen above) as “visibly intoxicated on an unknown substance.”

Asked about large bulges in the pockets of his shorts--and whether he possessed any weapons--Bennett replied, “I have hypodermic needles for fishing.” He then removed “a plastic bag with syringes inside” from a pocket and placed the works on the hood of a squad car.

Bennett also handed over a cigarette pack containing a baggie with fentanyl. “I don’t want to go to jail,” said Bennett, whose occupation is listed as landscaping in court records.

The Vero Beach resident was arrested on a felony narcotics possession charge and booked into the county jail, where he is being held in lieu of $7500 bond. Bennett, who is scheduled to be arraigned on February 25, has prior convictions for grand theft, DUI, driving without a license, possession of drug paraphernalia, and probation violation.

When arrested on January 22, Bennett was not carrying any fishing equipment, nor did he expound on his purported use of tiny spears to impale a big catch.